The high-risk match between France and Israel at the Stade de France not only ended in disappointing sporting fashion, but was also overshadowed by riots. Despite high security precautions, there were clashes between fans.
The Nations League match between France and Israel at the Stade de France was not without incident. Already in the first half, there was an altercation between around 50 people in the north curve, which was observed by head of state Emmanuel Macron from the stands. The security forces quickly intervened and separated the groups, including fans with Israeli flags. The incident lasted around two minutes.
On the pitch, the French team was unable to impress without its star Kylian Mbappé. The goalless draw was enough to advance to the quarter-finals, but worsened their chances of winning the group. Italy extended their lead with a win in Belgium and have home advantage against France in their next match.
Security precautions and spectator numbers
It remained calm in Paris before kick-off as a massive police presence secured the stadium and the surrounding area. The match was classified as a high-risk game and 4,000 police officers were deployed, supported by 1,600 security personnel in the stadium. Despite the security measures, many seats remained empty and only around 20,000 spectators watched the match, including some Israeli fans who attended despite a warning from the Israeli National Security Council. Emmanuel Macron and former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande were also in the stands.
Protests and security concerns
A demonstration was held near the stadium under the slogan "You don't play with genocide", but it was peaceful. The recent attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam have heightened security concerns. The Israeli National Security Council advises citizens to be cautious at events abroad and to avoid sporting and cultural events involving Israeli teams or artists, as reported by the Haaretz newspaper.
SDA
